Grays Harbor Community Foundation awards memorial scholarships

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, May 27, 2026

Twins Izzie and Margie Taylor, both student-athletes and involved in several activities throughout their time at Montesano High School, are about to head off in separate directions for the first time in their lives.

Margie plans to head to Washington State University in the fall, with plans to study nursing and eventually become a traveling nurse. Izzie is heading to Gonzaga University to study Business Administration while participating on the rowing team.

During their time at Montesano, the twins served as tennis and soccer captains as well as participated in Pep Club and National Honor Society.

Margie received the Alec Pugh Memorial Scholarship for students that show perseverance and are also admired by their fellow classmates, while Izzie received the Richard Tagman Memorial Scholarship for having exceptional character and leadership abilities in athletics. Both also received additional scholarships from the Foundation based on their hard work throughout their time in high school, for a total of more than $12,000.

“We are cheering for you back home in Grays Harbor girls,” the Foundation stated. “Best of luck as you embark on these exciting next steps in life.”

Alec Pugh Memorial Scholarship

In memory of Montesano’s former principal, Alec Pugh, the district has worked with the Grays Harbor Community Foundation to establish the Alec Pugh Memorial Scholarship Fund. This scholarship is awarded each year to a Montesano High School senior.

Before his, Alec served the Montesano School District for 22 years, 10 of them as the well-loved and revered principal of Montesano Junior/Senior High School. His focus was always on student success and growth. Alec understood that every student’s path to success was different, but he believed that every one of his students was valuable and capable of great success and it was his job to help them navigate that path.

Close friend and coworker, Jamie Holstrom remembers Alec as a person with a wonderful sense of humor who loved to laugh and who always had time to talk to anyone and everyone looking to chat. She commented:

“Alec believed in the potential of every child. I think his favorite students were those that were the “tough” ones. He gave every student chance after chance after chance. He was always certain that if he kept reaching a hand out, eventually even the most difficult student would take it. After his passing, I’ve heard from multiple former students that he was the difference in their life. He was the reason they graduated, stayed out of jail, went to college, got married, etc. He was the reason they decided to trust that one person later in life and were finally able to have positive relationships of their own, because their high school principal showed them love and grace when they needed it most.”

With education being such an important part of Alec’s life, his family and friends decided to create the Alec Pugh Memorial Scholarship in partnership with the Foundation.

His wife Dana commented: “Alec was a believer in all students. He definitely was a champion for the underdog and made sure his students felt heard and seen. He was always willing to give. Our lives as a family revolved around the school and district and he wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.”

Richard J. Tagman Softball/Baseball Memorial Scholarship

Dick grew up in the Wynoochee Valley on the family dairy farm, where a strong work ethic was instilled in him at a very young age. He attended Montesano schools and graduated in 1959. After high school, Dick attended Grays Harbor Community College and graduated from Seattle University with a degree in accounting.

While in high school, Dick excelled as an athlete in football, basketball and baseball. In 2015, he was inducted into the Montesano High School Hall of Fame as a member of the 1957 championship football team. While attending Grays Harbor Community College, Dick played both football and baseball.

He was a huge sports fan – high school, college professional – it didn’t really matter; he enjoyed all of them. But, his heart was truly with the Montesano Bulldogs – everything else came second to a Montesano High School sporting event. Dick was community-minded and very instrumental in the alumni

fundraising for the artificial turf field that was put in at the high school’s Rottle Field.

Dick had a long career in the timber industry, and the only thing that could trump his attention to every detail of his timber sales or working in the field on his tractor was attending a Montesano High School girls’ softball game or boys’ baseball game. Dick was a staunch believer in education and always professed that a good education and a strong work ethic spelled, “success.”